More Torrential Downpours Likely Today

Yesterday across South Louisiana the showers and thunderstorms started at daybreak near the Louisiana coastline and move slowly westward. By the afternoon much of the area along and south of I-10 had experienced a terrific amount of rainfall in a very short time.

In a pattern that appears to be setting up very similarly to yesterday, storms are currently showing up on the National Weather Service radar. Most of these storms are confined to an area just off the coastline of Iberia and St. Mary Parishes.

Such is the nature of a tropical downpour. This is kind of rain they experience in the jungles of Brazil. Across portions of Lafayette and Lake Charles many streets had standing water in the major traffic lanes and the drive home from work was certainly a slow one.

The catalyst for the excessive rainfall is a trough of low pressure that is sitting just of the coast of Louisiana. That instability combined with an upper level low pressure system across the Gulf of Mexico is continuing to pump abundant moisture across the area.

Forecasters suggest that rainfall chances will be well above normal for today and Wednesday. Many of the forecast models indicate that Wednesday will actually hold a better chance for heavy rain across the area. Most of the rainfall will occur in showers and thunderstorms that move from east to west during the mid morning and afternoon hours.

While rainfall totals won't be huge, the fact that so much rain is expected to fall in a very short period of time will be the issue. Motorist can expect cloudbursts to slow down their commute later today. You can also expect some lane closures on roads that usually take on a lot of water should your location experience one of these tropical downpours.